We review the words and what Manu's exciting ceremony left in the United States. Manu's three sons gave him the emblematic orange jacket of the Hall of Fame.
On a very emotional and unforgettable night for the sport, Emanuel Manu Ginobili, the most outstanding Argentine basketball player in history, was formally inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in the United States.
The 45-year-old Chinese became the first representative of Argentina to integrate this space for the best players of all time, which was held at the James Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.
The winner of four NBA rings with the San Antonio Spurs (2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014) and Olympic gold with the Argentine National Team at the 2004 Athens Games took the stage with his former teammate and friend Tim Duncan, who was in charge of being the presenter of the ceremony.
"Thank you. Let me hear my heartbeat. Are you sure you do not want to do this? I know you love being the center of attention," the Argentine thanked applause and joked with Duncan.
Manu was presented at the end of the gala. Even though he had already thanked everyone who was part of his career on his social networks, he again recognized his former colleagues and family members for his success.
"It has been a long journey. I'm not here because of what I did, but because I was part of two of the most important teams of the 2000s. With the Spurs winning four NBA championships. Moreover, with my Argentine National Team, winning gold in 2004", were the first words of the Bahiense.
Without those steps, I would not be here today," she added.
My two brothers also played there.
It was an ideal place to develop and strengthen my passion and love for the game in a very healthy way and a family environment.
Then he reviewed his first stage on the National Team and his time abroad: "With my growth and gradual development, the first opportunity to be part of the National Team came.
Then came my stage in Italy, at Viola Reggio Calabria, with a coach who trusted me in tough times and great leaders who showed me the way. And then I made the jump to Kinder Bologna, where coach Ettore Messina taught me what it took to get victories and championships, and I learned very quickly".
The Italian experience for me was precious. I acquired that there," she remarked.
The Spurs hired Ettore Messina, Manu's coach at Kinder Bologna, as an assistant.
Then he reviewed his arrival in San Antonio.
I received a call telling me I was drafted by the Spurs (selected in position No. 57). I had no expectations. I really could not believe it.
The Spurs were a family to me where I spent 16 years with the same coach, with practically the same teammates, representing the same colors and city. That is why I have many people to thank."
"To win a championship and to become real equipment needs a lot of little pieces in place, and we had a lot. Share equipment with you. Winning and losing all together was fantastic."
"The craziest thing about my career is that while this happened in 16 years with the Spurs, at the same time in parallel, I had an incredible career in the Argentine National Team.
I could talk individually about each of you without stopping all the time, but what we always did, we did as a team, and there is nothing that I value more than that", Manu reminded the Golden Generation.
Manu achieved Olympic gold with the Argentine National Team at the 2004 Athens Games.
Then it was time to speak in Spanish and address a few words to his family. First of all, he talked about his brothers, Sebastian (current coach of La Union de Formosa in the National League) and Leandro, the eldest "I know, and Lea, thank you for being my inspiration and for pushing me as a child because I wanted to be like you."
He also broke down for a moment when he remembered Jorge, his father, who could not travel due to health problems: "How I would have liked you to be here and to be able to understand what is happening today. My first faithful and most prominent follower, I miss you a lot, older man.
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